Domestic violence: When ‘for better, for worse’ becomes deadly

“For better, for worse” is part of the marital vows exchanged by about-to-be wedded couples before a ‘man of God’ and before a congregation. However, with the rising cases of domestic violence and intolerance among couples including murder of spouses in different parts of the country on a daily basis, it is evident that obeying this vow is becoming a burden. PAUL OKAH chronicles incidents across the country.

As part of obligations for intending couples to be wedded in church, it is mandatory for them to exchange marital vows before a ‘man of God’ and a congregation, which is supposed to prove that there will be tolerance and understanding between them, no matter the circumstance, in sickness or in health until death comes.

However, over the years, in different parts of the country, cases abound of couples killing one another over cases that are sometimes trivial or that could be settled simply with the involvement of religious leaders or family members.

The media is awash with news of husbands killing wives or even wives killing husbands using different methods like poisoning, stabbing, and hired thugs, even as culprits, who could not bear the consequences of their actions, have sometimes taken their lives.

Maryam Sanda’s case

On Monday, January 27, 2020, after more than two years of delayed trials and several adjournments, a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced Maryam Sanda, the daughter of a former executive director of Aso Savings and Loans Limited, Maimuna Aliyu, to death by hanging for stabbing her husband, Bilyaminu Bello, a son to a former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Haliru Bello, to death in November 2017.

Justice Yusuf Halilu, while delivering judgement, said Sanda was unable to exempt herself from the charges by the Nigeria police, adding that Sanda, a mother of two, was unable to explain the death of her husband “being the last person seen with her husband before his death.”

The prosecution counsel, James Idachaba, had sai, according to police reports, Sanda stabbed her husband with kitchen knife: stabbing him in the neck, chest and genitals.

Also, a prosecution witness, Ibrahim Muhammed, said earlier on the day of the murder, that he had prevented the accused person from stabbing her husband, Bilyamin, over arguments of divorce.

However, Sanda is not the only husband killer in the history of Nigerian marriages, as daily media reports has it that many women have killed their husbands at different times, even as husbands have also killed their wives sometimes over trivial issues.

Osogbo woman kills husband

In fact, on July 17, 2017, the Osun state police command paraded a 39-year-old woman, Omotayo Salaudeen, who arranged and also partook in the killing of her husband, Alhaji Salawudeen Hakeem.

Omotayo was paraded alongside her accomplice, Oladapo Dolapo, aged 24, who actually stabbed the deceased four times while the wife blocked his breathing with a pillow.

While parading the suspects, the Commissioner of Police, Olafimihan Adeoye, said the lady not only arranged for the death of her husband, but also participated actively.

He sasid the case was brought to the station on May 12, 2017, by Engr. Salawu Adeshina Jimoh, who reported that on the same day, around midnight, two men entered into his brother’s house at No 11, Adeniran Street, Hallelujah Estate in Osogbo and stabbed him to death with knife, while nothing was carted away.

However, speaking with reporters, Omotayo couldn’t state the specific reason she killed her husband. She said she was just angry with him and just decided “to do away with him.”

Anambra woman kills husband

Also, on June 30, 2019, a 20-year-old woman, Makoduchukwu Ndubisi, reportedly stabbed her husband, John Bosco Ngu, to death in Anambra state.

It was gathered that the incident happened at Nsugbe in Anambra East local government area of the state.

The Anambra state police command’s Public Relations Officer, Haryana Mohammed, said the deceased was taken to a nearby morgue while police were investigating the killing.

“Today, at about 8 am, police detectives attached to 33 Police Station Onitsha arrested one Makoduchukwu Ndubisi, 20, of No 16 Donking Street, Nsugbe, in the Anambra East LGA of Anambra state. The suspect allegedly had a scuffle with her husband, one John Bosko Ngu, aged 35 years, of the same address and stabbed him on his chest with a sharp knife.

“The scene was visited by police detectives and the victim rushed to Boromeo Hospital, Onitsha, for medical attention but was certified dead by a medical doctor. The corpse was deposited at the hospital mortuary for autopsy; exhibit recovered and the case are under investigation to ascertain circumstances surrounding the incident,” he said.

Man kills wife over breastfeeding

Perhaps, the most annoying killing in the history of Nigeria happened in July, 2019, when a 40-year-old man, Kingsley Madukwe, allegedly killed his wife, Glory Madukwe, when she allegedly refused to breastfeed their crying one month old baby and was arrested by Ogun state police command.

Police said the suspect, a motorcycle rider, was angry when his wife abandoned their crying baby. Consequently, he slapped his wife, who had complained of tiredness, before she slumped and died on the spot.

The Ogun state police spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said in a statement that, “On interrogation, the suspect, an okada rider, who is an indigene of Ihiala in Anambra state, stated that his late wife, a mother of eight, was having a month-old baby and that the baby was crying, which made him to wake his wife up to breastfeed the baby, but she refused, claiming that she was too tired to breastfeed the baby at that time.

“He stated further that the victim got up and was going to the sitting room, leaving the baby behind, and this got him annoyed, consequent upon which he drew her back and gave her a hot slap. The woman there and then fell and gave up the ghost. The corpse of the victim has been deposited at the General Hospital Ota mortuary for postmortem.”

Man kills wife on Christmas day

Similarly, just when many people were celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25, 2019, a 37-year-old man, Mutiu Sonola, was arrested by the police for allegedly beating his 34-year-old wife, Zainab Shotayo, to death.

The PRO, Ogun state police command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, who confirmed the incident, said the suspect was arrested following a report by the father of the deceased.

Oyeyemi said the father complained at Ibara police division that he was called on phone that his daughter was having a misunderstanding with her husband and that she has been beaten to coma by the husband.

“On the strength of the report, the DPO Ibara division, SP Dada Olusegun, mobilised his detectives and went after the suspect. His hiding place was eventually located and he was promptly arrested,” he said.

Man kills wife, son, self

On May 26, 2019, the police in Lagos said a 42-year-old man, Enifeh Omomo, allegedly committed suicide after killing his wife and their six-year-old son at their Ikorodu residence on May 23, 2019.

The spokesperson of the police in the state, Bala Elkana, said in a statement that the Ikorodu divisional police station had received a distress call on May 24 at 8:00 am about the incident.

“On May 24, at 8.00am Ikorodu police station received a distressed call that one Enifeh Akupa Omomo (42) of No. 12, Eruga St., Aga-Ikorodu, allegedly killed his wife, Mrs. Faith Omomo (38) and his six-year-old son, Glorious Omomo, and thereafter committed suicide in his one-room apartment.

“When homicide detectives visited the scene, the corpse of the suspect was found hanging on a rope, tied to the ceiling fan, while corpses of his wife and son were found on the floor. Bodies of the deceased persons were evacuated to a General Hospital for autopsy. An investigation is ongoing,” he said.

Man kills wife in Niger

Furthermore, just recently, on January 25, 2020, the police in Niger state said one Suleiman Gimba of Maratu village in Nasko Council allegedly killed his wife, Aishatu Suleiman, after a minor misunderstanding.

The Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Adamu Usman, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna that the incident occurred on January 22 at about 11:50 pm when Suleiman had minor misunderstanding with 35-year-old Aishatu and allegedly hit her with a hoe on her forehead, which resulted to her dying on the spot.

“Consequently, the suspect fled to an unknown destination and the body was taken to Nasko General Hospital for autopsy, after which it was released to the family for burial, according to Islamic rites,” he said.

Cop kills wife, self over divorce

On October 29, 2019, a policeman allegedly shot himself after killing his wife for filing a divorce against him. The policeman, simply identified as Edward and attached to the Highway Patrol, was living with his wife, an inspector with the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) inside the prison barracks at Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos state.

The man was said to be angry when his wife, who was harbouring her husband in the barracks, asked him to leave the apartment. The woman did not stop at verbal threats, as she followed it with divorce papers.

It was gathered that the policeman was allegedly drunk at the time he pulled the trigger at close range as the couple were in the habit of quarrelling and their situation worsened after the woman opted out of the union.

Her threat, it was learnt, was borne out of the man’s alleged mistrust and possessive nature. In the heat of the disagreement, the policemen cocked his gun and fired at his wife and thereafter shot himself in the head.

The police were said to have evacuated their bodies just as most occupants of the building have fled the compound for fear of possible arrest.

Police spokesman Bala Elkana confirmed the incident, saying that investigation was on-going.

Katsina woman kills husband

Also, on January 27, 2020, a housewife identified as Rabi Usman reportedly stabbed her husband, Shamsudeen Salisu, to death in Katsina state.

Rabi, 19, and a resident of Dan Jaku Tasha village in Malumfashi local government area of the state was said to have stabbed her husband to death in the early hours of Monday.

The spokesperson of the Katsina state police command, Gambo Isah, confirmed the incident to journalists in the state, saying the woman has been arrested and detained in police custody.

He said, “Today precisely at 4:00 am, we got a report that a married woman, Rabi Usman, 19, from Dan Jaku Tasha village in Malumfashi LGA killed her husband, Shamsudeen Salisu, 25. Neighbours heard the deceased husband screaming for help. On getting there, they met the door locked. They devised means of getting in and found the woman with a knife stained with blood.

“They found the man lying in the pool of his blood. They carried him and on their way to the hospital, he died. They took him to Malumfashi General Hospital where the doctors confirmed him dead. We have arrested the woman and put her in our custody. We are investigating to unravel circumstances surrounding the incident.”

Abia mob lynches man for killing wife

If there is any hope that people could learn from the situation of others, it was dashed on January 27, 2020, as an angry mob in Etitiama Nkporo in Arochukwu local government area of Abia state killed one Kalu Ilum for allegedly murdering his wife.

Just while Rabi was killing her husband in Katsina state, on the same day, Ilum reportedly shot his wife over a misunderstanding that started at home before the woman left for her shop, while the corpse of Ilum was also set ablaze by the crowd.

It was gathered that angry youth, who went in search of the man, eventually found him hiding in a disused well, fished him out, clubbed him to death and set his body on fire, after damaging his house.

“The woman was not a violent woman,” a resident said. “She owned a restaurant in the village. We were told that she was sustaining her family with the proceeds of the business while the husband was not contributing anything.”

Lawyers speak

On January 29, 2020, Premium Times published reactions of some lawyers to domestic violence, especially on the conviction of Maryam Sanda, which has also brought to the fore the argument over the death penalty in Nigeria as punishment for capital offences such as murder, culpable homicide and kidnapping.

A lawyer and legal commentator, Mr. Jiti Ogunye, who described himself as an “advocate of the death penalty,” said people should get ready for the consequences if they kill because of domestic violence or other cases.

He said, “The lady committed the act by using a knife to stab the husband and nobody is contesting that it was undiluted culpable homicide under our laws. The punishment for it is the death penalty and the judge did the right thing and was not swayed by sentiment in applying the law at the justice of the case required.

“It is not the duty of the judge to determine the sentencing range since there is no option of statutory minimum or statutory maximum punishment. Once its murder, armed robbery, treason or culpable homicide, it is death and that is what the law pronounced.”

However, a human rights lawyer, Mr. Frank Tei-tie, disturbingly said some killers can be left off the hook if it is established that he or she was staying in a forced marriage, “which could lead to one losing his or her mind.”

“Sanda’s inability to control her mental faculties, which were overwhelmed by having to stay in an abusive marriage, is a very strong fact that can be considered. Once you are able to show that it is infidelity or trap marriage, which has led to built-up emotions that makes the person to lose her mental capacity, will that not be a mitigating factor?”

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